A barbershop sits under the same personal-care licensing category as a nail salon or hair salon, but with a couple of specific considerations that come from the grooming services typically offered.
Licensing and activity classification
A barbershop needs a personal-care/male grooming activity licence through DET — generally a lighter regulatory footprint than a full unisex hair-and-beauty salon, similar in weight to a dedicated nail salon. Confirm the exact activity classification with the Trade Licence Activity Finder, since "barbershop," "men's salon," and "hair and beauty salon" can be treated as distinct activity codes with different scopes.
Straight-razor shaving and hygiene standards
If your concept includes traditional straight-razor shaving — a genuine differentiator for a lot of barbershop concepts — blade hygiene and sterilisation between clients is a specific point of scrutiny in facility approval, given the direct skin contact involved. Single-use blades or a proper sterilisation protocol for reusable equipment should be built into your operating procedure from day one, not treated as a detail to sort out after opening.
Facility requirements
Standard requirements apply: proper sterilisation equipment for tools, adequate ventilation, and general hygiene standards checked as part of DET/Municipality approval before you open. This is a lighter fit-out than a full salon or spa, but it's still a genuine inspection step.
Additional services
Many barbershops expand into beard treatments, hot towel services, or basic skincare add-ons — if these extend beyond basic grooming into anything resembling a spa or health-adjacent treatment, check whether that pushes your activity classification into a broader personal-care licence than a pure barbershop needs.
Free zone vs. mainland
Like any walk-in personal-care business, barbershops depend on local foot traffic and are almost always mainland-licensed. Confirm your specific situation with the Free Zone vs Mainland Tool if you're considering an unusual location.
Costs and next steps
Model your setup cost — driven mainly by chairs, sterilisation equipment, and fit-out standard — with the Business Setup Cost Calculator, and confirm your activity classification before signing a lease.